Machine for counting and delivering coins



March 2l, 1933. c. D. HQWENSTINE '1,992,328

MACHINE FOR COUNTING AND DELIVERING COINS Filed June 5; 1951 3 sheen-sheet 1 INVENTOR March 21, 1933. c. D. HowENsTlNE 1,902,328

MAGHINE FOR GOUNTING AND DELIVERING COINS Filed June 5, 1951 A 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 March 21, 1933 c. D. HowENsTlNE I MACHINE FOR COUNTING AND DELIVERING COINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN ENTOR f Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED sra'ras CHARLES D. HOWENSTINE, 0F NORTH CHARLERGI, EENNSYLVNIA..

MACHINE ron contarme ann` nnnrvnarns coINs 'y Application filed .Tune 5,

Among the objects which I have in view are the following. The provision of new and 1mprove'd means whereby coins or tokensof a selected character may be counted and/ or de- 5 livered from a mass of coins.

rIhe provision of means whereby coins or tokens of a selected character may be delivered in groups `o'f a selected number:

The provision of means whereby coins or tokens of a selected character may be delivered in groups of a selected number and the total number of coins inV the plurality of groups to be formed may be simultaneously counted. y

Gther objects will appear from the follow ing description. Y

For these and other purposes I have invented the machine whose principles'are hereina-fter explained.

u In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofthe apparatus with one of the side walls of the boxing removed, the selective arm being shown set to count and deliver fifteen coins, such as pennies.

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation showing the side wall which is omitted in Fig. 1 and also showing the setting arm. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but parts being omitted and the mechanism shown as it is when a predetermined group of coins has been counted and delivered. Fig. 4 is asection of the apparatus taken a along the irregular line 4-4 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism with the enclosing boxing removed except for a broken portion of one of the side walls. d Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 7 is a detail in section taken along the line 7-7 in Fig. 5. l

Fig. 8 is a broken front elevation showing the coin-lever, also shown in Fig. 5, but adj usted for actuation by a coin of smaller diameter. such as a dime.

Fig. 9 is a partial rear elevation of the same. f Y Figi() is a broke-n rear elevation showing the arcuate slot through which the means for Serial No. 542,273.

shifting the axis of the coin lever protrudes so thatV the coin lever maybe adjusted vfor different coins.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism is enclosed in a metal boxing comprising a bottom 1, the side walls 2 and 2a,rearwall 3, the Vtop 4 which does not extend las' far for-V wardly as the bottom and the lower front wall 5. The lid 6, which is hinged at its bottom edge, as will later be more fully described, 39 when closed occupies the upwardly and rearwardly inclined position'shown in Fig.1 but which when'the machine is in use isopened downwardly in the inclined position shown iny Fig. 4. A suitable support, `such as the hinged leg 7, is provided tosupport the lid in its open position. Y l, f v

v 8 represents a cup-shaped housing which is circular in shape having aflat bottom and a low perimetralwall 8a. `This housing is sup- 7@ ported in the upwardly and rearwardly tilted or yinclined position shown in.4 Fig. 4, inthe boxing in anyconvenient manner. yThus .I have indicated a screw` 9 extending throughv ,y the side wall 2 and screwed into a threaded 5 hole 10 in the wall of the housing. A like but longer screw is inserted through the other side wall 2a into a like hole in the other side of the housing. Also, as will later appear, the housing isfurther supported relative to 80 the boxing by its coin delivery spout 11 which extends through the rear wall 3. y

12 represents a circular disk which is revolubly mounted in the housing 8, being n, mounted on the front Vand upper end of a "5 shaft 13 which is journaled in a Vbearing formed in the center of the housing. On the rear end of the shaft 13 is fixed the bevelled gear 14 meshing with a bevelled pinion 15 n mounted on a cross shaft lwhich is jour- E0* p.

naled in bearings 16a mounted on the back of the housing. One endof the shaft.' 16 is provided with a crank 17 at the outsidefof the side wall 2a for rotating the shaft 16 and thus rotatingthe disk 12. is clockwise in Fig. 5.v

The disk 12 is provided at its perimeter with a plurality Vof spaced apart arcuate notches 18 whose rearedges, that is the edgesV which trail as the disk is rotated, are bevelled The rotation of the disk 9@ off as at 19 to permit a coin, stacked on or adhering to the coin which is engaged in a notch, to slip oit onto the exposed tace of the disk as the notch moves under the guard plate which will be later described.

To the right of the top ot' the housing 8 the bottom or rear wall of the latter is provided with an aperture `or coin-port 2O to which the inner end of the delivery spout-ll is connected, the spout being fixed to the housing and extending, as has been explained, through an opening in the rear wail, the brackets 21 being attached to the spout and to the rear wall to assist in supporting the A,

and it has an! arcuate portion which covers the notched perimetral pol-tion of the disk l2 at the upper portion of the housing and down along its right hand side. The plate is spaced sufficiently from the disk. to provide clearance for the coins carried by the notches and its edge is bevelled as at 23'so as to coact with the bevelled rear edges of the notches to strip of any'. extra coin which may rbe stacked upon or may adhere to the'coin in a notch. y

' vT he plate 22 extends through a cut away portion oit' the wall of the housing to the left in Fig. 5 to provide a bracket for the support of certain parts of the mechanism to be later described. v Y

24 represents a depending latch pivotally mounted on the face of the plate 22 and having its free end extending through a slot 25 in said plate to trail over the face of 4the moving disk l2 and by engaging with the front walls of the notches to prevent material counterclockwise rotation of the disk.

26 represents the coin-lever which is pivot ally mounted intermediate of its end on the cap screw 27 which extends forwardly through a vertically disposed arcuate slot 28 inthe plate 22. The screw 27 is mounted on the free end of a lever 29 which is pivotally mounted at its other end as at 30 against the rear face ofthe plate 22. Thus the axis of movement-ot' the coin-lever may be raised or lowered for the purpose hereinafter described 31 represents a plate pivotally mounted as by the cap-screw 32 on the front of the plate 22 and having an arcuate slot 33 eccentric to the screw 32 through which slot the cap-,screw 27 extends. l The upper end of r the plate 31 is provided with a rearwardly curved operating finger 34 fixed relative to the plate and protruding rearwardly through an arcuate slot 35 in the rea-r wall 3 of the housing.

It is obvious that by taking hold of the protruding end of the finger 34 the plate 3l may be shifted and thus the axis of movement of the coin-lever 26 may be adjusted vertically. The lower end of the plate 3l is bent inwardly as at 36 against the front face of the plate 22 and a spring 37 coiled about the capscrew 27 presses saidplate 3l snugly against the'plate 22 to prevent accidental movement of the plate 3l and shifting of the axis of the coin-lever 26. i n

The inner or rightend of the coins-lever 26, as it is illustrated in Fig. 5, is provided with a stud-bolt 38 which extends rearwardly through a vertically elongated slot 39 in the plate 22 which slot is .slightly arcuate On Y the rear endotthebot 38 is mounted a roller 40 which moves in lthe rear of the plate22,

the top edge'of the housing 8 being vnotched v as at 4l to providey clearance for the descent of the roller. y

The roller is in the path of the coins carried along by the notches 18 of the disk l2 and is engaged by said coins as they reach and pass their highest position and before they drop through. the porty 20 into the com spout l1.

Insomuch, as will later appear, the are of movement ot' the other orvouter end of the coin-lever 2G is substantially constant, provision must be made for adjustng the lever so that it will be Vrocked counterclockwise only by coins of the diameter selected for counting. rlChus were the axis of the coin-lever constant a nickel would throw the other end oi' the lever-farther than` would a penny and a penny would throw it farther than would a dime. However by my provision for adjusting the axis of the lever vertically, I am able to arrange the lever so that it will be operated only by the coin selected and the arc of movement ofthe other end of the lever will remain substantial y constant. Thus if the lever is adjusted for dimes it would jamb if pennies or nickels be carried into contact with the roller. Likewise a nickel would jamb a lever set for pennies. Again when the lever isset for nickels, pennies or dimes will not operate nor will a dime operate the lever when it is set for pennies or nickels.v

The other and outer end of the coin-lever is provided with a box 42 comprising upper operating crank 46 of a rotarydisk counting device 47 whichmay be ofany suitable char-v acter and whosetotals arevisible through an opening 48 in the top 4 of the boxing.

Thusthe counting mechanism is operated to record and/or indicate one digit every time the coin-lever is rocked Vcounterclockwise by a coin carried past the roller by the notched disk 8.- The coin lever and the bent lever are given a return movement by the helical spring 49 which connects the `upper end of the bent lever with a fixed point on the frame'plate 44 such as the bolt 50 which-extends through upwardly far enough to allow the coin to pass by it. Therefore the disk will be jambed against movement. .On the other hand if the coin carried by the notched disk be of too small diameter to raise the roller sufliciently to enable the coin-lever to operate the bent lever 43, as would be the case where the fulcrum plate is adjusted to a larger coin, then the passing coin will not be counted by the counting device. v

In the drawings 1 have sho-wn the coin-lever adjustable for dimes, nickels and pennies, but it will be understood that the selective range of the coin-lever may be enlarged to include any reasonable number of kinds of coins, tokens and the like which may be desired.

The mechanism provided for delivering a. predetermined number of coins is as follows. 51 representsl a tubular stud whose inner end is screwed or otherwise secured in a hole 52 in the frame plate 44 and a circular disk 53 is rigidly mounted on said stud in spaced re ation to the frame plate. 54 represents a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on the stud 51 between the frame plate and the disk, a spring 55 being coiled about said stud with its ends connect-ed to the stud and to the outer face of the wheel, respectively, so as to vrot-ate the wheel clockwise in Fig. 1. Thewheel 54- is of considerably greater diameter than is the disk 53. v

The perimeter of the wheel 54 is provided with teeth so arranged that a pawl may be em-v ployed to rotate said wheel counterclockwise in Fig. 1 against the influence of the springV ployed for rotating the wheel counter-clock-v wise while the remainder enable the locking pawl to prevent accidental clockwise rotation of the wheel before the maximum number Vof coins is delivered. The wheel is also provided with a perimetral notch having a radial shoulderor wall 56 facing clockwise while the otherwall ofthe notch is angular thereto.`

. The upper end'of the bent lever 43 has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 57 which is pressed by a spring 57 a to engage the toothed perimeter ofthe wheel 54 and `as the lever 43 is :rocked `clockwise in Fig. 4 as .it is when the roller iselevated by a coin passing undeithe same, the pawl 57 moves the wheel counterclockwise the space of one tooth. The spring 49 retracts the pawl after each ofvits voperative movements. 58 represents a gravityA dropped'locking pawl which is pivotally mounted on the outer protruding end of the bolt 50. The pawl drops down onto the tooth of the wheel 54 when the latter comes to rest after being moved forwardly by the 'pawl 57,

and thus prevents the spring from reversing the ,movement of the wheel. When the shoulder 56 is moved past the pawl 58 the latter drops down behind the shoulder andV thus locks the wheel 54 stationary. Intermediate of its ends VVthe pawl 58 ,ha

pivotally attached thereto by meansv of the pin 59 the upper end of a link 60whose lower end is pivotally connected to the upper end` of a locking'bar 61 which is pivotally attached at its foot to the sideofthe adjacent bearing member 16a. The bar 61 is provided .with a notch 62 which when the link andlever are thrown into theposition shown in Fig. 3 en-AV gages one of the teeth of theratchet gear 63 mounted on the shaft 16 but kthe notch, when the link and lever .are thrown into their positions shown in F ig.1, is disengaged from said lower endconnected to the pivot connection between the link and the bar 6l while its upper end protrudes through a slotlin the rear wall 3 of the housing. c

It is apparent thatV when the ratchetwheel has been advanced by means of the operation of the pawl 57 until the locking pawl 58 drops down behind the shoulder 56, the drop of the i pawl will cause the link 60 to drop, thus en-l gaging the notch 62 with 'theratchet wheel 63, thereby` locking the shaft 16 and preventing l the rotation of the notched disk 12.

65 is a curved leverjwhose front end is pivot-ally mounted on the outer endvof the bolt 50 and which extends over the protruding end of the pin 59 which attaches the pawl 58 to the link 60 and under a pin 66 which protrudes from Vthe side of the pawl 57. The

`lever 65 is provided with a toe portion 67 whiclnwhen the lever is lowered, may rest on the 4disk 53. i

. `t is obvious that whenl the link 60 and lever 6l are lmoved into their positions shown in izoY Fig. 1, Vdise'ngaging the notch'62 from the ratchet wheel 63,therpawls 57 .and 58 are raised from engagement with the ratchet wheel 54 andthe latter will be free to .be

rotated clockwise inFig.1 by the expansion.

Atact'with the outer end ot a stop arm 69 limits the clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 54 when the latter is released by the elevation of thepawls 57 and 58, as will be later'ex-l plained` v i -i s a jV Thearm 69A is fixed to and disposed radially of a knurled knob 7 0 forming the outer -end of a pin 71 Wh-ich-protrudes axially through the bore ofthe stud 51. The inner end of the pin 71 is threaded toreceive a nut 72 and a spring 73 is wound about the pin between the inner end or" the stud 51` and the nut 72.

The outer end of the arm 69 is provided with a lip 74 which tits into one of the notches 75 which are formed in the perimeter of the disk 53-and which is also engaged by the stud 68'on the ratchet wheel'54. Thus by pulling 'outwardly on the knob 7 0 to release the lip 74 :trom thek notch 75 with which it is engaged, .the stop arm 69 may be swung into positionto engage any selected vnotches of the disk.v v Y n The side wall 2aof the housing' is provided with an aperture 0a through which the knob may be seized with theV fingers. and this aperture is wide enough to expose afportion of the armv 69 so that'its angular position may beobserved. The surface 'ofthe wall 2a about the ap-erture is graduatedfand marked to designate the number of teeth of the ratchet wheel 54 which will be engagedby the pawl 57 in ymoving the ratchet wheel while the stud-68 is traveling from its initial orA retracted position against the end of the `arm 69 to a lposition wherein the locking pawl 58 drops down-behind the shoulder 56.

It is obvious that'whenthe locking pawl 58 has Vdropped down behind the shoulder 56, the pawl 57 can no longer advance the ratchet wheel or rather after each forward push of the ratchet 54, the ratchet will be springreturned until the shoulder 56 bears against the dropped pawl 58.

In operation the arm 69 by means of the knob 70 is turned to and engaged with the proper notch on the disk 53 tov provide for the retraction of the ratchet wheel 54 for the number of teeth corresponding to the number of coins which the machine is to deliver. The hand lever 64 is then pulledto release the notch `62 from the ratchet wheel 63 vand to raise the pawls 57 and 58 from engagement with the ratchet wheel 54. VThe wheel 54 is now released and is spring-rotated clockwise now vunlockedv so thatv the notched disk 12 may be lrotatedvby means of the crank 17, delivering coins pastthe roller 40 to the coinport 20. rThe coins passing under the roller 40Vroek the coin-lever 26, thus operating the counting device 47 and also causing the pawl 57 tol'advance the ratchet disk 54 counterclockwise Vone tooth forV each coin passing the roller 40. l i

When the numberv ot coins determined by the settingoil .the arm 69 have been counted and delivered, the locking pawl 58 drops downbehindthe-shoulder 56, thus locking the ratchet wheel 54 against reverse or clockwise movement and also locking the sha-ft 16 and the coindisk 12 against further rotation.

To provide for 'the proper throw yof the outerl'end or" the coin-lever 26 l prefer to provide.V an abutment 7 6 threaded through a bracket 77 carried Aby theplate 22 and arranged-to be engaged by the outer end of the coin-lever 26 on Yits upper movements. By adjusting this screw the.` proper throw will be given to the recording LmechanismV and In case'itis desired to simply count coins, tokens ork the like without separating them into groups of predetermined numbers, the arm 69 is swung into the position indicated at zero when the arm will hold the ratchet wheel 54 retracted past its operative range with the pawls 57 and 58 opposite the notch in the perimeter of theratehet wheel and thus the pawl- 57 will not-be able to engage and operate the ratchet wheel. However the operation of the coin-lever by the passing coins will cause the latter to be recorded on the device 47. Y

The coins` are presented to thenotched disk 12 by means of a hopper which is positioned at the lower portion of thehousing 8 and is preferably mounted on the housing. Thus the hopper is provided with an arcuate iange 78 which lits against and issecured to the outerv surface of the wall 8a of the housing, as by screws 79. The hopper is provided with a wall portion 80 which extends upwardly from' the iange 78 and diverges from the disk 12 in the direction of the rotation of the disk, as shownin F ig. 6, that is from left to right. Rising tromV the top of the wall portion .8O

' are the outwardly iiaring end walls 81 vand the front wall 82.- The lid 6 maybe hinged tothe top of the flaring front wall 82, and thus when thek lid is opened and supported mits-inclined position by the leg 7, the coins may be spilled on the lid and will slide down inte 'the hopper Y, and 'Abe presented to the notched disk 12. vThe throat ofthe hopper because of the'divergence of the wall portion 8() permits the notched disk to 'shift the indiscrmin'ately presented coins so that they may be readily picked up one at a time bythe notches ofthe disk.` i

The delivery endof the spout 11, is directed downwardly and is preferably in a horizontal plane so that a coin-receiver may be removably mounted below such mouth.

Thus I have shown in Fig. l a supporting fork 83 secured to the wall 3 of the heus-- ing and a paper coin case 84, of cylindrical shape and closed bottom, supported on said fork by means of its top lange 85. When the case 84 has been filled or has received the desired number of coins, it is removed from thevfork and its top crimped in or otherwise closed to retain the coins. f

Vhat I claim is l. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a housing, a disk rotating in said housing and having notches formed in the perimetral edge of said disk to carry coins and the like, the carried coins protruding beyond the perimetral edge ot the disk, means to feed the-coins to said disk, a counting de- 2. In a machine for the purpose described,

the combination of a housing, a disk rotating in said housing and having notches formed in the perimetral edge of said disk to carry coins and the like, the carriedcoins protruding beyond the perimetral edge of the disk, means to feed the coins to said disk,

a counting device, a lever, one end of the lever being operatively connected to the counting device whereby the latter is operated by the movement of the lever, the other end of the lever being in the path of the protruding edges of the coins carried by said disk, and means comprising a movably mounted plate provided with a slot and a movably mounted bolt extending through said slot and forming the axis of said levers movement whereby to arrange the movement of said lever tocause it to be operated solely by a coin and the like of a selected diameter.

3. In a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a housing, a disk rotatably supported in the housing, said disk being provided with notches in its perimetral edge to carry coins and the like, means to rotate said disk, means to feed the coins to the disk, a counting device, a lever operatively connected to the counting device whereby the throw of the lever causes the counting device to register a unit, one end of the lever protruding into the path of the coins carried by the disk so that the lever isl periodically thrown by the coins as they pass the lever and means for adjustably limiting the throw of Y' said lever whereby the machine may be set to be operated solely bya coin and the like of a selected size.

4. vIn a machine for the purpose described, the combination of a housing, a disk rotatably supported in the housing, said disk being I i provided with notches in its perimetral edgeV to carry coins and the like, means to .rotate said disk, means to feed the coins to the disk,

ka counting device, a lever operatively connected to the counting device whereby the throw of the lever causes the counting device to register a unit, one end of the lever protruding into the path of the coins carried by the disk so that the leveris periodically thrown by the coins as they pass the lever and means for adjust-ably limiting 'the movement of the coin-end of the lever whereby the machine may be set to be operated solely by coins and the like of a selected size. i

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 1st day of J une, 1931.

CHARLES D. HowENsrINn 

